


Tile&Brick

by Oienel



Category: EXO (Band), 이조선시대 | Yi Joseon Dynasty RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, F/M, Porn With Plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-13
Updated: 2018-10-28
Packaged: 2019-08-01 15:10:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16286891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oienel/pseuds/Oienel
Summary: Prince Jongdae goes from laying on the roof tiles to see his future wife, to pressing her against brick wall.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I can't believe I have yet to write Joseon!AU for Jongdae, taking my obsession for both into consideration. But, here, I am amending my wrongdoings.

Palace grounds were in shambles. Total, overwhelming shambles. Palace guards were on the edge, court ladies were running frantically around, eunuchs were trying to keep straight faces and decorum as they joined in the search.

Jongdae knew they were searching for him. The first clue was pretty obvious, as they were all shouting his royal title. Louder or quieter, they were all calling for the prince, but _this_ prince was not about to go out of hiding. He was on a mission.

That’s why he was laying on top of the kitchen roof. He could smell the persimmons and he knew that they would try to lure him out with his favourite snack, but again, he was a man on a mission.

Maybe not yet a man, he was few years short of becoming a man. But the first steps to his adulthood were being taken today. And not by him by all means.

His mother called for him the day before, or rather _the Queen_ called him the day before to remind him that the next day the first stage of choosing process would start. He was not to disturb and not to pry but how could his mother expect him not to be curious? He was getting a wife! A wife that would one day bear his children and sit on his left during ceremonial events. Mother always sat on father’s left.

So today he greeted his parents in the morning as it was expected of him, sending his father and mother to greet the girls out of whom one would become _his_. Then he went back to his room, where he was supposed to wait for his morning lesson in Chinese classics. He did not wait for his tutor though, he escaped through a window onto the roof of his pavilion. From there the way was easy but he had to keep his head low, as not to be seen.

He could feel the dirt on his socks and he knew he was going to be scolded. By his maids and tutor if he is lucky, by his mother if he’s not. By his father, if he’s extremely unlucky. But it was not something that would stop adventurous eleven years old. He checked the space between buildings and having made sure that no one was there to stop him, he gathered his robes (purple, he wouldn’t be allowed to wear black until the confirmation) and slid down the roof, cushioning his fall bending the knees. He ran straight for the fence and his momentum allowed him to climb up on it and jump on the other side. Now came the tricky part – he has just escaped his quarters, but he still had to get to the audience pavilion without being seen. But what it was to a boy that grew up inside this maze?

When he reached the outer pavilion of the audience chambers he could see his parents seating in it. The weather was warm and the doors were wide open. He could see father talking to mother, her nodding, both of them smiling. He saw how Father reached for Mother’s hand under the table.

Jongdae hoped for relation like that.

He ran to the wall of the pavilion and he climbed on, hoping that he wasn’t being too loud. He barely laid down on the downward slope of the roof when father’s eunuch announced the arrival of six maidens. They were all his age, wearing colourful and elegant robes. They kept their heads low but he could see how they looked curiously around. They stopped where eunuch led them and they bowed. Parents greeted them, but Jongdae was not interested in Father’s monologue. He was trying to guess which one would be his. Or which one he’d like.

The thing was they all looked vaguely similar, with no special features. He fixed his position on the roof as the tiling wasn’t the most comfortable surface to lay on and when he looked down one of the girls was staring right at him. Panic took his breath away and he froze, unable to even move a finger. Her face didn’t show any emotion and after a second she looked down, but it didn’t bring Jongdae’s madly beating heart solace.

He was petrified, unable to look away from that girl for the whole time his father was speaking. He waited, but she didn’t glance at him again, even when mother was bringing them to the water pavilion where she was going to conduct her tests.

“You should go back to your studies, son,” he heard as soon as girls could be no longer seen.

*

King did not scold him for spying on the roof. He seemed quite understanding as if he had done the same when Mother was being chosen. So when three months later the second screening was being held, once again his boots were left on the threshold to his quarters as he escaped his learning duties to see the girls.

He didn’t know who _that girl_ was but after pondering on the topic those last three months he decided he’d like _her_ to explain herself. Why didn’t she react in any way? How dare she was so emotionless when she was looking at the Rising Sun of the Nation!

Jongdae would not admit even to himself that he was anxious whether she passed the first stage.

This time they were led straight to the water pavilion. Which worked against Jongdae who wasn’t even wearing shoes. He was unable to come close, open space around water pavilion his biggest enemy. What was even worse was the fact that water pavilion was taller than buildings around and his purple robes were visible against the dark tiling. But eleven years old wasn’t deterred that easily, scolding was nothing compared to the chance to see the girls.

She was among the three that passed the first screening. She looked composed as she walked behind mother and another girl. Jongdae didn’t know what changed – at first he was sure that none of the girls has special features, now it seemed like that girl was _one special feature_.

“Prince, Queen asks you to get off the roof and start wearing shoes,” called one of Mother’s maids, motioning to Jongdae’s eunuch where the prince was hidden. Jongdae barely stopped himself from groaning out loud and obediently slid off the roof where his eunuch was already running to him. It occurred to Prince that he’ll be forced to walk all the way back to his quarters shoeless on the dirt.

At least he has gotten a glimpse.

*

She was among the pair that survived the second stage and she watched Jongdae with calm eyes as his eunuch and his maids led him out of the audience pavilion after father called him off the roof during the third stage of the choosing process. At least this time they brought him shoes.

*

She was the one to get the royal order and wild goose. It thrilled Jongdae in a way he couldn’t explain. Every time envoy was sent to her house as a part of the wedding ceremony he would be there, observing, making sure that the silk sent to her parents was _indeed_ the best quality. He would be there when envoys came back, eager to hear anything that was happening.

He knew they were too young for the consummation ritual and it was explained to him that this part of the wedding ceremony would be carried out later when they will be both of age and ready. But it didn’t stop him from lurking on the roof of the outer palace when her procession arrived at the palace. She wore highest ceremonial robes and her face was pale. His robes matched hers – but again, it didn’t stop him from climbing up the roofs to the horror of his servants.

He went to visit her, in her pavilion situated just behind his, when it was deemed it was the proper thing to do. He was announced and he had to keep his cool as he entered her chambers. She was already in the bow, standing next to her desk, having vacated her seat as it was proper. Jongdae took the seat behind the desk, glancing to his eunuch, suddenly feeling out of his element. She slid down to the pillow in front of the desk, her robes puffing around her and her eyes focused on the wood between them.

Jongdae realized his princess was nervous, probably scared. She was about to spend her first night at the palace, away from home, away from people she knew, and it made him nervous.

“Are you hungry?” he asked, breaking all the decorum and proper etiquette.

*

He showed her their kitchen. They ate there, mindless of Jongdae’s eunuch not so subtle accolades that it wasn’t proper. They wore their highest ceremonial robes and they sat together munching on the onion pancakes which lead cooking lady made for them when princess shyly mentioned they were her favourite.

The next day he showed her how to steal fruits from the warehouse. He showed her were tadpoles where the easiest to catch, and which book in the library had the funniest pictures. He showed her how to climb the roofs and taught her the guard routes. He told her which eunuch would be the easiest to ask for snacks and how to scare ladies in the tailor chamber.

They grew up together and Jongdae didn’t know when they became close when they became friends when he fell for her. He did. There was no question about that, he loved her and he loved spending time with her. If he couldn’t _be_ with her because of his studies or duties, he’d go to her as soon as he was free. All spring, summer and autumn he kept the back windows to his pavilion open and she kept her front windows open so he could glance at her even during his classics lessons.

She would be writing or reading, or even attending her own lessons and their teachers’ voices would mingle in the space between the pavilions and every time something exceptionally boring was being said Jongdae would look to his left only to see her staring back at him, with eyes bright and laughing.

He loved her.

*

“Jongdae?”

“Mm?” he mused, thrilled to be hearing his name. He was not exactly coherent, her skin, her skin was so soft and so smooth and smelled of petals and pine and…

“Shouldn’t you be going to your archery training?”

“Why are you always so proper?” Jongdae whined and she only laughed. She grabbed his hands that were holding her waist and she slid her own hands into his sleeves. He loved when she did that, her hands grabbing his biceps. The skin on skin contact was so rare for them and her slender fingers on his bare skin were always welcomed.

“The virtuous wife shall aid her husband in his strive to become a sage. A wise wife shall mind the mundane activities for her husband to focus on great learning,” she recited in Chinese and Jongdae could only groan. That was a passage from Thousand Characters and he learned it as a young boy that was just learning to read. It was such a thrill to hear that in the nook behind the warehouse, where he backed her between the chimneys.

They rarely got time alone now that they were older, legally adults. Two months ago Jongdae was appointed the crown prince and they both changed clothing to black robes. He liked her in black. But truth be told he liked her in everything.

And _that_ was beginning to be a problem because Jongdae was already in the age where he’d love to see her _without_ her outer robes. That’s why they were never to be alone.

But Jongdae lived his whole life in the palace, _Crown_ Princess, lived nearly half of her life here and they both knew who to blackmail or when and how to escape constant observation. And then they knew where to hide.

That’s how Jongdae ended up pressing his wife into the brick wall between chimneys and her indifference to the surroundings thrilled him.

“When will Ministry of Rites choose the auspicious day for our consummation?” he whined out loud allowing himself to rest his forehead on her shoulder. His hat was on the ground, she took it off as soon as they were hidden behind the chimney. He looked down her robes, enthralled with the way her chest pushed against fabrics with every inhale. _When?_

Her hands clenched on his arms in reassurance that she was waiting with him.

*

“Princess!” he called out as soon as he saw her black robes. An exasperated and condescending sigh came from behind him and Jongdae immediately stilled himself, bringing down arm that was waiving excitedly. He brought his hands behind his back and cleared his throat. His eunuch didn’t say a word, but Jongdae could tell he was satisfied.

In the meantime, Princess stopped. She seemed politely interested in what Jongdae wanted to tell her but he could see the amusement in her eyes. She was always way better than he was in keeping up appearances.

“Crown Prince,” she addressed him and bowed – and all of her maids did the same. Jongdae did not even glance at them focused on his wife.

“The auspicious day was chosen!” He was excited. He was so excited he didn’t care for etiquette, he just pulled the paper out of his sleeve to present it to her. She smiled as she took it and opened it to see the chosen date. The date for them to finally finish the last step of the wedding ceremony.

Something hot and uncomfortable dropped in his stomach when he saw her face fall. It wasn’t a reaction he expected, it wasn’t a reaction he could understand.

“Princess?” he asked, surprised at how his voice was wavering and she shook her head, lips pressed in a thin line as she gave the paper to her lady-in-waiting. Jongdae saw how maid’s eyebrows rose and how she immediately called one of the maids and they left together in uncanny haste.

“I am sorry, Crown Prince, but I am afraid it won’t be the date.”

*

No one was explaining to him what happened. The date was pushed back without even saying to _when_. It was heartbreaking because of the initial excitement. Jongdae was so disheartened that he didn’t go to visit Princess after finishing his afternoon duties. Even when they met to offer evening greetings to his parents he excused himself immediately after the visit. His pride was scorned.

“Crown Princess has arrived!” called out eunuch and irritation hit Jongdae even harder.

“I am not to be disturbed!” he answered angrily but to his complete bewilderment she herself slid doors to his private room open and walked inside. She didn’t wait for anyone to prepare a pillow for her, he just sat down in front of him, her skirt puffing and shimmering. In very businesslike matter she pushed the folds of her robes down and without turning around she said:

“Everybody, out.”

There was a moment of consternation, but all of Jongdae servants decided to _betray_ him and leave. When the doors closed, she sent him an exasperated glance and it irritated him even more.

“You pushed back the consummation date!” he accused, not caring that he sounded like a child.

“The date coincided with my moon days!” she answered with the same level of exasperation in her voice. “I didn’t do it to scorn you!”

Jongdae had no idea what moon days were but it didn’t calm him down.

“Why didn’t you say so! You just went: “oh, I don’t think it will happen” as if it was already decided!”

“Because it _can’t_ happen during moon day! Why are you behaving like it’s only you who want this?!”

That shut him up. Anger was oozing from her features and princess was not the one to easily show emotions. But more importantly, she blatantly stated that she as well was waiting for this. He knew it, of course, they discussed it a few times already, but it always caught him off guard. He reached across his desk to grab her hand and although she allowed it, she still looked irked.

“I am sorry, my beloved,” he said softly, feeling soft. She exhaled not looking at him, so he squeezed her hand. “I just can’t stand the wait. Every day seems like a torture.”

That grabbed her attention and she looked up at him. She was still disgruntled but her face was slowly softening. She squeezed his hand back.

He could do it. He would one day rule this country and he could wait to lay with his _wife_ , future Mother of the Nation.

“Would you walk with me, Crown Prince?” she asked suddenly and Jongdae knew that it didn’t matter what she was asking for because at that moment he would readily do anything she might have wanted. And walking with her after skipping their afternoon reunion was only right. Only now was he realizing that his actions weren’t suiting a man of his future.

Jongdae sometimes enjoyed how maids gushed about how chivalrous he was to Princess, how loving, how valiant. Having lived in the palace his whole life he learned how to listen to its voices. But as he glanced at his wife, his smart, compassionate wife, he found himself annoyed that he never heard servants gush about her. As if it was expected of her to be this great person.

This thought prompted him to grab her hand and although she didn’t look at him, she smiled. That smile caused warmth to spread in his gut and Jongdae looked away, not able to contain his own smile. Palace was quiet, gates long closed. He should have felt bad for keeping his servants past the bedtime, but he couldn’t get himself to.

The night was peaceful and warm, slight breeze heralding good weather for the next day. As Jongdae looked up he could see stars blinking at them lazily and suddenly waiting for the next auspicious day didn’t seem so troubling. He was sure that next time would be the one.

Princess stopped suddenly and without letting go of his hand she turned around and with a few short words she dismissed most of their entourage. In a corner of his eye, he could see how his servants looked to him for affirmation but he made it a point not to give one. _Do they think that he will negate_ her _words_? They all shall learn that when his wife speaks, she is speaking his wishes.

Because he was so preoccupied with her that the thought of just sending his servants away didn’t even cross his mind.

But what surprised him was the fact that she sent even her lady-in-waiting away. He didn’t know the reason, but he trusted her with his life and he was fairly sure that whatever the reason was it was one good reason.

They managed to pass by observatory when she stopped again and turned to his eunuch, the last servant that accompanied them.

“It’s getting colder, could you go and fetch Crown Prince his outer jacket?” she ordered, with polite questioning intonation.

Jongdae’s eyebrow twitched. Once again his servant looked to him, but said nothing and gestured nothing. She was actively working to get them alone and he would never try to foil plans such as this. And eunuch knew that. He knew what she was doing and he knew there was no point in trying to make Jongdae do the right thing.

And so poor eunuch stood at the crossroads. He couldn’t leave them alone, and he couldn’t refuse to fulfil a direct order. And that turmoil was visible on his face. But his wife stood strong and unmoving as if she didn’t see that internal fight.

“It is an auspicious day after all,” his eunuch mumbled and asked them to wait for him. Jongdae said nothing as he mulled over his words, but princess solemnly swore to wait for him.

And as eunuch silhouette disappeared behind a corner she tugged prince’s hand and showing him a mischievous smile she dipped into a narrow alley.

Jongdae laughed and even her harsh glance couldn’t calm him down. _Today_ was an auspicious day. That’s why father performed rain ritual today because it was an _auspicious_ day, _today_. It was customary for one important ceremony to happen on the certain auspicious day, but it wasn’t a law.

And today was an auspicious day!

He laughed again when she lead him behind a warehouse and when she hid between chimneys. He expected her to scold him for being loud but she just turned around her back pressing against the wall and her hands impertinently grabbing his face.

He kissed her like he did twice before. Twice before he shared such an intimate moment with his wife, twice before he shared his breath with her, and twice before it happened between two chimneys. Two chimneys, brick wall which he was pressing her against and the one behind him – they were always the witnesses to their most intimate moments.

Per her custom, she knocked his hat off his head and per usual Jongdae didn’t even flinch. No piece of clothing would ever be important pitched against her. For her? Jongdae would gladly walk over golden dragons embroiled into his robes.

His hands greedily grabbed her sides and she quietly whined into his mouth. Their consummation wasn’t supposed to happen behind a warehouse, where someone could find them, but Jongdae couldn’t even fathom a better place for this.

Her hands dropped to his belt and she yanked at it to open it and Jongdae was getting lightheaded already. He opened his eyes (when he had closed them? he didn’t know) to see her bright eyes staring at him as she pushed flaps of his outer robe out of the way.

His blood flushed down, he had never shown her himself without his outer robes, it was improper, it was something to be done only during the consummation. But then her hands confidently grabbed the laces keeping his underrobes in place and she pulled it.

He groaned. The sound itself surprised him, never had he produced such a sound in his life and her warning stare only made him hotter. They were outside, they could get caught. And implications would be grave.

But for the first time in his life, Jongdae felt evening breeze on his chest and her hands curiously travelling the expanse of his torso, onto his sides, onto his back, up to his shoulders. She kept him close, hidden behind the chimney, out of the view.

“Jongdae,” she whispered in a hair-raising throaty exhale, sending a thrill down his body. She immobilized him, her saying his name in such an intimate situation was borderline enchanting. “Put a new sun under my heart. Give me the young dragon.”

It was nearly too much, Jongdae’s heart was beating madly in his chest and he rested his forehead against the cold wall, trapping her under his body. He needed to regain his composure which wasn’t easy in any means because, who would have thought, princess kept doing things to rile him up.

Such as bringing him there, such as kissing him sharp and hot, such as undressing him in open, and asking for his child. He couldn’t even remember what time it was and when would the guards circle by the warehouse. She allowed herself to ignore _the proper_ and prince be damned if he wasn’t about to do the same.

His hand slid from her side lower and he groaned once more, his head dropping to rest on her shoulder – she’d be the death of him, that much was obvious. He knew how outer robe and under robe feel under a hand. And what he felt now was her body shielded from him with her outer robe only. He was sure of that, silk sliding pleasantly against her _naked_ skin.

“The virtuous wife shall mind mundane tasks of the household for her husband to achieve greatness,” she said with the unusually constricted throat. This time she was quoting the Great Learning and it felt so wrong and yet so good. Her short nails grazed the skin on his back and he understood she was urging him to do something. So he grabbed a fistful of her skirt and he experimentally lifted it up.

Some pained sound escaped his chest when he saw pristine pale ankle. Seeing her shin was even more breathtaking. He was finally seeing her, she was finally becoming fully his and Jongdae couldn’t grasp that fact. It was quite a religious experience and he started doubting if he was up to the task. Whether it was the right place to do it. The right time. Maybe they should have waited for the official consummation when he could fully explore what was hidden under black robes.

But princess didn’t have such doubts and she didn’t allow him to have such doubts. She hastily unlaced his underpants and yanked up her skirt, rolling it on her thigh. Jongdae could only stare, some lone thought in the back of his head telling him that they need to be quiet. That’s all he could do because all of his blood left his brain pooling in his penis, now exposed to the chill air of the night.

She was so bold. She was so sure. She was so…

He kissed her, his hand clenching on her naked thigh. A thigh she pushed against his side, her ankle digging into his back. Her hand, _her hand was on his penis_. He didn’t have words to describe that _amazing feeling_.

And then she guided him _in_.

It was wet, hot, tight, unreal and so indescribable. Just… Amazing. He had probably whimpered, maybe moaned because she surged forward and kissed him to bate him and he couldn’t even control himself – snapping his hips forward, the need to go deeper was this overwhelming.

Her nails dug into his back as she hiccupped against his lips and once again he realized he closed his eyes. So he snapped them open and he saw that her skin was flushed and her head rested against the wall. He focused on her half-open lips more rosy than usual, and he choked back a moan as he thrust. Suddenly he felt how one of her hands moved from under his clothes and she grabbed one of his wrists and led his arm to the ribbon keeping her robe fastened. His breath hitched when implications came through.

He couldn’t, he wouldn’t be able to withstand that. So he changed the hold – now he was the one grabbing her wrist and he pushed it against the wall. He kissed her neck and thrust again.

“I will see you and _worship_ you,” he assured urgently. He wanted to say something more but words were escaping him. She was so hot and pliant under him and she sighed hearing him, her breath tickling his skin.

By now he was thrusting with abandon – it seemed so natural, so right to try to go deeper. So he tried and she trembled in his hold, her body convulsing against him and her nails digging into his skin every now and then. He welcomed those moments, pain setting his senses ablaze. He wished he could kiss her but he didn’t have enough breath left in his chest to try. The night no longer seemed cool, not with her so hot in his arms. Nothing else mattered.

Sometime in the act, she freed her hand and she put it against herself, her fingers sometimes sliding down, brushing his penis. He didn’t know what she was rubbing so feverishly, but he knew it made her muscles spasm around him and it made her head fall forward and rest against his shoulder. He didn’t know what was happening, but she was sobbing quietly against his neck.

But he could tell it was pleasure, the same pleasure that was exploding in his gut, the same pleasure he felt with every equally feverish thrust.

She bit him. His clothes slid off his shoulders sometime before and she bit his naked skin – he could tell her teeth apart on his body – so hypersensitive he was. But that act, the bite with muffled sound in her throat and her cramping around him was the last drop that caused the overflow.

He stilled, coming undone inside of her and that seemed to be the ultimate pleasure.

He couldn’t imagine anything better, anything more fulfilling.

She rolled her head back, resting it against the wall, her leg dropping to the floor. Only now Jongdae could see how her skin was glistening with sweat and how strands of her hair escaped the up-do. She looked dishevelled but so appealing that Prince couldn’t help but kiss her.

And so he did.

And he held her close in that space between two chimneys, and he kissed her slowly as they came back to themselves. Later he tried to help her with her robe, but he realized he didn’t know how. But of course, she knew how to fasten his robes.

One more thing for him to pay attention to. He now knew to learn how to undress her and help her dress up. He now knew that he had to learn more about her body. The consummation felt great, it was the most amazing experience of his life – but he felt lost and it was her that guided him.

“Did we miss the guards?” she asked suddenly and Prince looked up – the moon was already crossing into the hour of the rat – which meant guards should have circled this area already. Did they miss them? Did they hear them?

“I sent the guards away, Crown Princess,” they heard eunuch call. He wasn’t right next to them, but the voice made it clear that he was keeping guard.

*

“Crown Prince has arrived!”, announced him princess’ lady-in-waiting. Jongdae rolled his shoulder idly as he waited for the doors to her quarters to be opened. He could feel the bruise of her teeth when he moved his shoulder and he immensely enjoyed that.

She was standing up from her seat when he entered the room and he motioned for her to stay.

He was not going to take her seat when she was his whole world.

They sat down and Jongdae just looked at her. She looked healthy and peaceful, and he couldn’t help but recollect how she looked against the brick wall. Something stirred in his stomach but he willed it away. The thing that happened yesterday couldn’t happen again, not until they officially spend a night together – it was too risky.

Jongdae would risk everything for her, but not their future together.

But he knew that waiting wouldn’t be _that_ horrible. He had memories to keep him company _and_ he had a new date! He fished the document out of his sleeve and she literally snatched it out his hand. It left him speechless and he wanted to laugh but her eyes stopped him. She read the document and put it down.

“I shall expect you to try your best to prepare yourself, my husband,” she said, face calm. Only glint in her eyes told him what she really meant.

He cleared his throat and looked away. He loved her, and he loved her the most when she managed to slip something _untoward_ in otherwise proper conversation.

“Don’t worry, Your Highness, I prepared reading for Crown Prince,” said eunuch and Jongdae’s neck cracked, so fast he turned his head around, but she just laughed. Eunuch was smiling politely, but prince suspected it was some kind of revenge on his servant’s part.

“Thank you. I hope Crown Prince will be thoroughly educated when the time comes.”

“He will,” answered Prince, deciding not to dwell on that. There were things he needed to learn and he was willing to do so.

Because she was worth it.


	2. Paper&Silk

“What do you mean?”

“Your Highness, what I mean it’s just improper,” eunuch’s voice was pleading. The man seemed uncomfortable and he was probably wishing Jongdae would just accept the statement and move on. But Jongdae _didn’t want to._ “As a future ruler of our nation, you shouldn’t just succumb to carnal needs…”

“But what is _so_ improper about seeing the naked body of _my wife_ ,” pressed Jongdae. It was ridiculous. How could they expect him not to lust after her body? He could see his maids blushing and he knew that this conversation was going to be the talk of the palace. It still didn’t mean he was willing to drop the problem.

“Your Highness, it is feared that you might lust _too much_ and thus disregard your duties, more keen on seeking carnal pleasures,” reasoned eunuch and Jongdae laughed. Loud and incredulous.

“Are you saying that you think I will not able to control myself? Is that what you are saying?” He knew he shouldn’t but he was getting angry. What exactly did they think of him?

Eunuch’s stare chilled him. His servant was looking at him in silence, but the stare itself was heavy and loaded with meaning. Jongdae could feel his scalp crawling.

“Your Highness, I _know_ that you are a person to go great lengths to get what you desire.” This time, eunuch’s voice was steady, quietly scolding and Jongdae knew that it was the time to drop it as he stretched eunuch’s patience far enough.

Prince cleared his throat and dropped his eyes down. He was reading a guide to consummation ritual which eunuch secretly got for him from Ministry of Rites and Jongdae was thankful. He also understood that eunuch was reminding him in his words that Jongdae once showed the lack of restraints.

Image of Princess’ body pressed against the brick wall appeared in his mind. He could remember how she felt in his arms, how her breath fanned his skin, how she felt _around_ him…

 _He might lust too much_? That was an understatement, his lust did not know barriers.

For the last two months, he learned, he studied, he devoured every book his eunuch got him. From anatomical texts through classical learning to epic novels. He even read one or two erotic novels, face hot and breath heavy as he allowed words to paint unknown worlds in his mind.

But as always his wife was the biggest help, coming two weeks before with a book she hid under her skirt. Covers were still warm from her skin when she brought it out as soon as they were left alone. She told him it wasn’t a book he was supposed to read, it wasn’t a book for his male eyes and told him to keep it hidden, even from his servants.

It wasn’t an easy feast, but the anticipation of what that book might hide left him distracted the rest of his day.

Finally, at the end of his day when he was already wearing white sleeping robes, he took the book out of its hiding place. He remembered how warm it was when he felt it for the first time and he couldn’t stop himself from bringing the book up to smell it.

The book smelled like her and once again Jongdae wished he could hold his wife in his arms. But he focused back on the treasure she brought him. The book itself didn’t have a title and when he opened it, he understood why it wasn’t a book for him. It was written in Korean script, used only by women. It was written by women and it was written for women, detailing all the secrets of laying with a man.

It was descriptive, it was informative and it gave him more information than every other book he had read.

*

She looked so familiar and yet so new with the exquisite wig headdress. He didn’t have words to describe it and he didn’t wonder how it was made. Last time he saw it those eight years ago, the first time he saw it laying on the roof, wearing an exact replica of what he was wearing now. He vividly remembered walking into her quarters and he remembered how scared she was and what was the first thing he said to her.

He looked to the side where a lacquered table stood, covered with gold platters. His eyes zeroed on onion pancakes. It wasn’t the usual snack, but he stood strong, not even wanting to imagine his consummation night without her then favourite snack.

It no longer was, her palette already changed and he knew how she loved lotus roots. But what really mattered was the memory of their first shared meal.

He was excited, oh so excited he was! He made sure to oversee the preparations, just like he oversaw the wedding process all those years before. What they did together, a few weeks before, between the chimneys behind the warehouse, only fuelled his excitement – to think that after this night he would be able to visit her _every night_. Ha! It would be expected of him. And he simply loved the implications.

Princess wasn’t looking at him, politely averting her gaze, and he knew that she was just playing him up. She wasn’t shy by all means, she shouldn’t be shy after being the one to initiate their encounter during the last auspicious day. But it allowed him to look at her unabashedly, to take in her rosy cheeks and fair skin and her delicate neck and her luxurious silk robes.

“Your Highness,” called his eunuch from outside the room.

That was the only thing that wasn’t perfect. The room was clean, the mattress was the comfiest and the most luxurious one he could find, food was perfect and she was there – but outside of this room his servants and her servants were seated, along with representatives of Ministry of Rites to oversee the consummation.

Maybe that was why he kept seeing a small smile on her lips.

“Your Highness, please help Her Highness take off her head-dress,” called representative after a second of silence. Jongdae glanced at the doors where behind the white paper doors he could see silhouettes of numerous people. He _was_ uncomfortable.

When he looked at Princess she was looking straight at him, her eyes laughing.

Suddenly he was more at ease. Having people outside the room to witness the moment was as uncomfortable as he could imagine, and he was sure she felt the same. But there was something humourous about the situation. And he knew that after initial embarrassment future would be bright.

She cleared her throat quietly looking at him intently and he realized he was told to do something. He hastily reached out, long sleeves of his robe flapping about and she only snorted quietly. He bit his lip, realizing that she was never going to let him live down this night.

He reached the ribbons of her headdress and he untangled it fingers brushing against her throat. Her hands only then rose to help secure the heavy wig and to take out pins holding it up. It took a longer moment of two of them holding the thing down and finally, he was able to put it down. He was surprised at how heavy it was and he couldn’t stop himself from glancing at her and Princess just shrugged.

“Your Highness, please help His Highness take off his hat,” called the representative after they both straightened in their seat. It told Jongdae that just like he could see them, they were able to see him and Princess through the paper.

He looked at one of the lanterns standing on the floor with weird disgruntlement, seeing how it was only an object. But an object that scorned him at that moment, an object that was responsible for their visibility.

He was startled when he felt a touch on his neck, but it was his wife untangling ribbons of his ceremonial hat. She sent him a look that seemed to be scolding him, she seemed to be telling him to pull himself together so they can get over with it.

She put his hat down and looked to the doors expecting another instruction.

“Your Highness, please take off Her Highness outer jacket,” came from behind the doors. Jongdae and his wife exchanged glances. His blood was starting to boil and it wasn’t because of thought of intimacy – he was getting annoyed with the ritual. If fact those steps took away the intimacy they felt between chimneys.

But obediently he helps her out of her red robe. They put it away together and she squeezed his hand as they came back to sitting position.

“Your Highness, please take off His Highness outer jacket,” called a representative and immediately Jongdae felt her hands on his body. She was quick and efficient and he felt the annoyance in her movements, even though she remained smiling.

As they put his robe down he realized that the excitement was gone. He was too annoyed, too angry to be able to feel the excitement. As next steps came he realized that he didn’t fancy laying with her with his servants behind the doors. He didn’t fancy loving her with an audience.

He was on a verge of snapping. He didn’t study texts and books for this moment to be so awful. She was laying on her back, her body covered with her white under-robes and he should be on top of her, also wearing his white under-robes. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t do it and the step has already been called. Jongdae felt trapped and felt like doing this will take away what they already had.

He was about to snap, about to sit and turn around and just yell when she _moaned_. He froze, looking at her and to his sudden and overwhelming amusement, she just shrugged. She grabbed him and hugged him close, and moaned once more.

Once more he looked at her, disbelieving, but this time he saw how she bit her own lip not to laugh. He wanted to be annoyed but her way of getting out of this horrible situation was plainly funny. They looked at each other in silence and Jongdae decided that it was a good way as any and let out a loud animalistic groan.

She immediately clasped one of her hands over her mouth and nose and started shaking violently. Princess was laughing. Princess was shaking with laughter, making sure not to let out any sound that would incriminate them, but her eyes were shut from how much she was laughing. It was contagious and Jongdae let out one more loud, manly groan, only to hide his face in her shoulder, feeling how wave of laughter went through his body. They couldn’t stop. He was muffling his guffaw on her neck or shoulder, she kept her hand on her mouth and they were both crying. Once in a while when they calmed down, they would emit one more sound to convince people outside they were consummating their marriage – which would only sent them back into fits of laughter.

It hurt. He laughed so much his abdomen hurt and he was covered in sweat, much like as if they were really sleeping together. Her face was red and the corners of her eyes were wet from tears.

He didn’t expect his consummation to look like this, but he was sure he would remember it till the end of his days.

Suddenly she grabbed his head and angled it to the side so she could whisper right into his ear.

“Long enough, my husband?” she asked. He nearly laughed out loud but stopped himself just in time. In turn, he kissed her cheek. Not only did she stop him from destroying the consummation, but she was also making sure that tomorrow the palace servants would be gossiping about how able-bodied he was.

“I reckon it has been long enough, my dearie,” he whispered back quietly, not being able to keep his amusement out of his voice.

What came later was a concert of loud approving sounds that came from her throat, a concert he joined in a moment later, giving what Jongdae thought was a performance of his life.

After impressive crescendo Jongdae rolled over, breathing deep to calm himself down. Princess rolled onto her left side and Prince idly remembered that it should ensure a male offspring.

She was so thorough.

She even kicked him in the shin and pointed to the window. Jongdae understood and scrambled to his feet and pushed one of the windows open. The chilly breeze hit his face and invaded the room airing nonexistent stink of their coitus. He went back and sat down on the mattress, exhaling to compose himself before he called his servants in.

They came in rushing, maids gathering their ceremonial robes and brining table with snacks closer. Representatives from Ministry of Rites greeted Jongdae and promptly left. Through all that ordeal Princess seemed rather bored, eating food when she was offered, and not moving from where she laid ensuring his nonexistent seed tricked down the left opening of the uterus (he did read that much). Prince found himself looking at her and wondering what good he did in his previous life to deserve her as his life partner.

Finally, maids took the table and left the room. Princess quietly informed her servants that she was staying for the night and that they should go and rest. His eunuch started to put out lamps and Jongdae observed him without much thought.

“Leave the last one,” unexpectedly said Princess.

“But, Your Highness, it’s unsafe to sleep with lantern still lit…”

“We will put it out before we go to sleep,” she said sternly, not leaving any room for argument. Jongdae knew his servant well enough to know that he would try nonetheless.

“Leave us,” he said before eunuch could try and contradict his wife’s words. Eunuch glanced at Jongdae and for a second he feared that the servant might push his luck. But in the end, he didn’t, bowing and leaving the room walking backwards. The doors closed behind him and Jongdae observed how light of his lantern slowly disappeared.

And finally, _finally_ , they were left alone. As he turned to Princess to announce just that, she was already sitting up, her hands grabbing his face and she was kissing him – a perfect mirror of how their encounter started the last time.

But he was not going to let this evolve just like their last coitus did. He studied and he studied well, he was not about to let all that reading go to waste. Not after what they just suffered.

So he cradled her face in his hands and although he let himself kiss her for a longer moment, he remembered what his goal was. And soon he broke the kiss, his lips latching onto her neck. Was it instinctive or was it planned, it didn’t matter. But her slow exhale did and it told Jongdae that this was a good way to proceed.

So he did, licking his way down her neck. Her hands fell down and tangled themselves into his robe and he could feel their warmth through white silk he was wearing. His lips reached matching piece of clothing, her equally white underrobe that was covering her up to her neck.

Suddenly he was overwhelmed, suddenly he was as aroused as his servant believed he would be because there he was just seconds away from seeing her body. He wondered if he should ask, or if he should skip it all together – it was _improper_ to see.

And she sensed it. His wife, as observant as ever, sensed his hesitancy and she moved back. She looked at him, eyes dark but intent, and she herself undid her underrobe, pushing fabrics off her shoulders. Jongdae didn’t know he was moaning until he heard himself do it. Her shoulders were pale and smooth and were telling stories of all the skin that was still hidden. Her chest was still bound tight, but her arms and clavicles and shoulders were out and it was his first time seeing them.

So he kissed her wrist. He held her arm in his hands, in awe to be finally able to see it, and he slowly kissed up her forearm. And she sat there, unabashed in her white underrobe skirt only, staring at him with eyes hot but indulgent smile.

Which fell when one of his hands sneaked under the dress. He found her shin and sudden memory of it curling against his side nearly rendered him immobile. But he knew he couldn’t. And as his lips were reaching her shoulder once more, his hand traveled up her leg. He couldn’t tell if he was imagining that or not, but the higher his fingers were the warmer her skin seemed to be.

Her own hands tangled back into his robe, but this time they had a purpose. Jongdae felt how she was searching for ribbons holding them all together, and she found them just when his hands slid on her thigh. He slowly inched forward just as she slowly pulled at the ribbon. She pushed the fabrics off his shoulders when his lips reached hers and when his hand slid between her legs.

They both moaned.

She was hot and her thighs were wet. Once again the memory of being engulfed in that wetness and hotness nearly broke him. But it didn’t stop him _, he wanted to feel her like he didn’t feel her the last time_. And so he moved his head away and glanced at her face only to see her looking back at him. With their eyes locked he found her folds and he slid his forefinger inside. Hot, wet and as smooth as silk they were wearing. He circled his finger curiously, wanting to feel her insides and she pushed back at him.

His breath caught in his throat and it happened again, she was pushing against him, she was holding him in and his lips fell open in a soundless moan. It seemed unreal. But remembering _her book_ he searched, his thumb sliding up her slick folds and when her thighs tensed, her insides clamping down on him – he knew he found it.

He didn’t know how it worked, but it did, his thumb on her seemed to be driving her crazy, she threw her head back and she bared her neck and Jongdae admired how that pristine expanse of skin he was usually graced with was darker on the side he explored with his lips.

She looked beautiful like that and he couldn’t stop from admiring how her bound chest pushed at the fabrics. Suddenly he felt like he should help her out of her bonds, that he should just set her free. And so his free hand found the bow and he undid it.

How easily the fabrics fell to the ground.

And there she was, bare sitting on her silk robe with Prince’s hand between her legs. And he didn’t know what to look at. She was gorgeous, he knew that much already, but to be able to see finally? Her skin was pristine but glistening, her breasts were round and her nipples were dark and perky, and he didn’t know what drove him, but he sucked one of those nipples into his mouth.

She gasped, but her hands came up to hold him close to her chest, which means she was partial to this ordeal. And so was Jongdae. What was so appealing about that? He didn’t know, but sucking on her breast did wonders to his libido. And so did her insides squeezing around his finger. Without much thought, he added another.

A try to move them to imitate how he would move proved to be an effective tactic if a loud gasp was anything to go by, so he focused on doing that. It was just euphoric. He held her in his arms, he lapped her nipple, he was discovering how she reacted to his fingers between her legs and he loved every gasp, every mewl, every moan she gave him. Her hands digging into his scalp also weren’t unwelcomed.

But he felt that he _needed_ to take her _soon_. Her delirious body in his arms was working against him – she felt hot and she scraped her nails down his chest, one hand boldly cupping him over silk. Smooth fabrics and her heat were enough to tell him that he needed to take off his clothes.

So he moved away, her loud protest so endearing he hesitated. But he was fairly sure he’d be able to _give_ her pleasure while _getting_ pleasure. He hastily unlaced his pants letting the fabrics pool around his ankles before stepping out of it.

His wife laid down in the meantime, supporting herself on her elbows. The flickering light of the lantern illuminating her body. He could see how one of her breasts was so much darker around the nipple and something primal woke up in his gut. She looked exquisite and the way she looked at him told him that she felt pretty similar about him.

It fed his pride.

He went down to his knees, the sudden movement bringing soft breeze to caress his strained penis. She moved her legs, opening herself for him and one look between her legs made him swallow. He knew exactly what was waiting for him. He knew exactly how she’d cramp around him, how wet and hot and smooth she was.

He pushed his knees under her legs, one hand falling to the bedding as he grabbed himself. He hissed quietly, he was more than ready. How unreal it was to feel his own penis throb in his hand as he guided himself. She surged up to kiss him when he pushed in.

She swallowed his groan.

It was just like he imagined but more, it was just like he remembered but better. So much better. Knowing what he was waiting for made it _immensely_ better.

The kiss itself was sloppy because Jongdae just couldn’t put up with the stimuli he was receiving. Her naked body, her legs on his sides, his penis inside her – they were all fighting inside his head and sparing a thought to their kiss was above his cognitive abilities at that moment.

That’s why his thrusts were instinctive and not deliberate. He was seeking a way to go deeper, a way for him to feel her better, fuller. He wasn’t proud of that but he was losing himself way quicker than he anticipated. Her smell, her heat, her quiet sounds – it all added to his overloaded brain.

And he loved every moment.

He didn’t know if he remembered it himself or if she was the one to guide his thumb back, but he found his finger fitting between her folds and pushing against protruding bit of her body. She seized around him and he echoed her loud keen.

It helped him regain some of his control, seeing her so immobilized by a wave a pleasure made him want to see it, to observe how she reacts to the pleasure. So he circled his thumb making sure to never fall off the zone that made her react so wildly. But the way her body reacted only made him thrust faster.

She called his name. So rarely he heard his own name, and she called it desperately, her nails digging into his back, her neck bared and her breasts shaking with his every thrust. He bit down on her shoulder, skin sweaty and salty under his tongue and he groaned, his hips still pushing forward.

He collapsed to the side, realizing that only ancestors themselves would be able to stop him from visiting her every night.

It took him several minutes before he realized something was not right. His body was cooling down and he used his upper robe to clean his penis (he was going to be scolded for that, he knew this much) and put his pants back on. Princess slowly laced her skirt back up and what wasn’t right was her sitting up.

“Should you be on your side?” he asked, suddenly worried he did something wrong. He sat down next to her, grabbing her hand. She smiled brightly and brushed his hair with her fingers, pushing the loose strands back into place. Jongdae could feel his alarm raising. “Why aren’t you laying down? You should be laying down!”

“It won’t change anything, Your Highness,” she said softly when she realized that he was not going to let it go. Of course, he wasn’t! As much as he knew he’d love to try night after night – getting an heir was one of his main duties as a future ruler of this nation. “Because I already have a sun under my heart.”

Taking a blunt hit to his head wouldn’t make him as speechless as this did. It was as if he couldn’t comprehend the message. Did it mean she was pregnant? With his child? His mouth went dry.

“Are you… Are you sure?” he hoarsed out. She squeezed his hand reassuringly.

“As much as I can be. We won’t be able to check it with Royal Infirmary for about month still, so they wouldn’t know about this not being out consummation, but women have their ways,” she assured. Prince just looked at her, until she grew uncomfortable and he could see that. “It’s still a long way, but…”

She was talking nervously. Jongdae never saw her babbling away like that, she was always collected, and she was always his pillar of support. He looked at her, past her moving lips, past her reddish neck and past the bite on her shoulder. His eyes skimmed down her white skirt and he stopped with his eyes on her belly. It was already covered, but there was his child. His growing child was inside her.

“Thank you,” he said, breaking her monologue. He looked up at her face, once more feeling overwhelmed. She did once more, once again she proved to be an indispensable blessing his life and that realization squeezed his throat. “Thank you,” he repeated with more feeling.

She blinked once, slowly, and then she batted her eyelids few times – Prince knew Princess was batting away her tears. He squeezed her hand once more, unable to say anything more. He knew the words would come. If not now, then later, tomorrow, day after tomorrow, but they will come. He moved over to put out the last lantern, sudden darkness smelt of smoke and wax.

He blindly crawled back to the mattress, where her still naked arms welcomed him back. They found covers in darkness and laid down together.

He held her close as they drifted off to sleep, his hand on her abdomen, as he knew he was holding both of most important people in his life in his embrace.


End file.
